The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[markb]

Hello everyone,

I have got as far as the fiendish puzzles.....

...but can't finish one.

I get to the stage were I have to guess at one a number going into 1 of 2 boxes. I thought that you could always get the next number through logic?? It is only when putting the last few (say 4 - 6) numbers in that the mistake becomes apparent.

So my questions are 'Can you always get the next number through logic?'.
and 'Where can I learn the technique?'.

Cheers,
Mark

[ihope127]

What counts as "trial and error" and what's "logic" is a very blurry line indeed.

Anyway, the Sudoku Susser has a "clue" feature that tells you what technique you need to use next. All the techniques it uses are outlined in its documentation.

[Crazy Girl]

Mark

Try putting in pencilmarks to show what candidate can go in each cell, also look at the following websites to give you some new techniques,

http://www.angusj.com/sudoku/hints.php or
http://www.simes.clara.co.uk/programs/sudokutechniques.htm

you should only need to use anything up to Naked/Hidden Pairs/Triples to solve a fiendish. Superior Sudokus sometimes require a X-Wing but nothing harder.

If you are still stuck post your puzzle in a suitable section and someone will help you

[tso]

There is no blurry line. All Sudoku can be solved by logic -- though a specific puzzle may be beyond the skills of any individual solver, carbon or silicon based. However, to make the leap to say that there are some puzzles that cannot be solved with logic is ... illogical. It's equivalent to answering the question "How do I get downtown?" with "You can't get there from here."

[markb]

Thanks for the replies.

I think what you are saying is that it is always possible to get the next number in a sudoku......?

I don't think that using only up to hidden triple pairs will solve my puzzles though Crazy Girl. I'm not really familiar with these names of techniques btw - I started doing sudoku and just worked up from the easy ones.

I'll post the puzzle and see if anyone can explain how to get the next number.

Cheers,
Mark

[Crazy Girl]

Markb,

Any Fiendish in The Times (London UK ) only requires techniques below X-Wing, and even the Superior Sudoku Puzzles in The Sunday Times only require nothing more trickier than an X-Wing.

You do not say where you are from or the source of your puzzles, so one assumes that the Fiendish rating in The Times applies to all other puzzles rated Fiendish in Pappocom Newspapers, and you identified this puzzle as fiendish.

[markb]

Yes they are from the Times.....

Getting the hang of them now - thanks for the tips.

Cheers
Mark